Overview of information processing

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Many people use the terms data processing and information processing interchangeably, yet the two have a subtle difference in meaning. Data processing refers to the steps involved in collecting, manipulating, and distributing data to achieve certain goals. Data processing can be performed manually or electronically. Using computers for data processing is called electronic data processing (EDP). The term data processing historically has been used to mean EDP. The objective of all data processing, whether manual or electronic, is the conversion of data into information that can be used in making decisions. The term information processing, then, includes all the steps involved in converting data into information. Thus it includes data processing as well as the process of changing data to information.

What is the difference between data and information? Data refers to raw facts collected from various sources, but not organized or defined in a meaningful way. Data cannot be used to make meaningful decisions. But once data is organized, it can provide useful information. Information then, is processed data that increases understanding and helps people make intelligent decisions. To be useful information must be accurate, timely, complete, concise, relevant, and in a form easily understood by the user. It must be delivered to the right person at the right time. If information fails to meet these requirements, it fails to meet the needs of those who use it and is of little value.                                          

 

          ACTIVE WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

data processing –обработка информации (данных );

subtle – тонкий, неуловимый;

yet – тем не менее, все же, еще;

to collect – собирать;

interchangeably- взаимозаменяемым образом, заменяя друг друга, по очереди;

decision – решение;

manual –ручной, выполняемый вручную;

value - значение, величина, значимость, ценность, оценка;                 

to manipulate – управлять, обращаться, преобразовывать;      

to distribute – распределять, распространять            

EDP –электронная обработка данных

source - источник  

conversion-преобразование

to convert – преобразовывать; переводить (в др. единицы)

objective-цель, требование, целевая функция;

goal -задача                   

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

    I. Pronounce the words correctly:

process, term, interchangeable, subtle, to refer, to achieve, whether, objective, raw, to distribute, to understand, information, historical, certain, complete, concise, relevant, to organize, accurate, source, intelligent, requirement, value.

 

    II. Underline prefixes and suffixes in the following words and write down the words from which they were derived: interchangeably, manually, electronically, historically, meaningful, easily, useful, timely, user, requirement.

 

    III. Give the principal forms of the verbs:

process, achieve, increase, refer, make, help, invade, understand, organize, deliver, manipulate, define.

    IV. Translate into Russian:

yet the two have the difference in meaning; to be useful information must be accurate; in a form easily understood by the user; to the right person at the right time; to meet the needs of those who use it; of little value; to achieve certain goals.

 

      

V. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following word combinations:

принимать решение; электронная обработка данных; все этапы, связанные с преобразованием данных в информацию; собранные из разных источников; если информация не соответствует этим требованиям; использование компьютеров для обработки данных; целевая функция обработки данных.

 

VI. Define the terms in English:

data; information; electronic data processing.

 

VII. Make up your own sentences with the following words or word combinations:

to manipulate, electronic, conversion, to distribute, electronic data processing, step, source.

VIII. Make the following sentences active:

1. Such steps as collecting, manipulating, and distributing data are included in data processing.

2. Data processing can be performed manually or electronically.

3. Using computers for data processing is called electronic data processing.

4. The term 'data processing' historically has been used to mean EDP.

5. Information can be used in making decisions.

6. Data cannot be used to make meaningful decisions.

7. These facts were collected from various sources.

8. Once data is organized, it can provide useful information.

 

IX. Make the following sentences passive:

1. Many people use these terms interchangeably.

2. To make meaningful decisions we must convert data into information.

3. Converting data into information includes all these steps.

4. We use the term 'information processing' for converting data into information.

 5. Using a computer they change data to information.

  6. You should organize these facts in a meaningful way.

  7. Using information people can make intelligent decisions.

  8. We are going to process the data manually.

 

X. Agree or disagree with the statements:

    1. Data can provide useful information when it is organized.

    2. The term data processing historically has been used to mean electronic data processing.

    3. One can perform data processing only electronically.

    4. Data refers to facts organized in a meaningful way.

    5. Many people use the term data processing and information processing interchangeably.

    6. Information refers to raw facts collected from various sources.

    7. To be useful information must be delivered to the right person at the right time.

    8. Information that is not complete is of little value.

 

XI. Answer the following questions:

    1. Can data processing be performed manually?

    2. What does EDP mean?

    3. What is the objective of all data processing?

    4. Can we use data for making meaningful decisions?                     Why?   

    5. What requirements must information meet?

    6. When does data provide useful information?

    7. What is information?

    8. What kind of information is of little value?

    9. What helps people to make intelligent decisions?

  10. What is the difference between data and information?

 

UNIT II.

 

                                 THE DATA FLOW.

LESSON 1.

Text.

In order to change data into information, data must be manipulated, or processed. All processing follows thesamebasic flow; input, processing, and output.

 

INPUT

Input is the process of capturing data and putting it in a form that the computer can 'understand'. Input includes both the data that is to be manipulated and the software to do that. Data can be input into a computer by typing on a keyboard, using scanning devices, speaking into a microphone connected to the computer, or running a magnetic tape or disk. Input involves three steps:

 1) Collecting the raw data and assembling it at one location.

 2)Verifying, or checking the accuracy and completeness of data      (facts), and the programs. This step is very important since most computers, errors are caused by human error.

 3) Coding the data into a machine-readable form for processing.

 

PROCESSING

Once data has been input, it is processed. Processing occurs in the part of the computer called the central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes the circuitry needed for performing arithmetic and logical operations and primary memory. Primary memory (also called primary storage) is the internal storage that holds programs and data used in immediate processing. Once an instruction or data element is stored at a particular location in primary memory, it stays there until new data or instructions are written over the old material. This means the same data can be accessed repeatedly during processing, or the same instructions can be used repeatedly to process many different pieces of data. Processing entails several types of manipulations:

a) Classifying or categorizing the data according to certain characteristics so that it is meaningful to the user,

b) Calculating the data arithmetically or logically;

c) Summarizing data; that is reducing it to concise, usable forms;

d) Storing, or retaining, data on storage media such as magnetic disks or tapes.

OUTPUT

After data has been processed according to some or all of the steps above, information can be distributed to users. There are two types of output; soft copy and hard copy. Soft copy is information that is seen on a television-like screen, or monitor, attached to most computers. It is temporary; as soon as the monitor is turned off or new information is required, the old information vanishes. Hard copy is output printed in a tangible form such as on paper. It can be read without using the computer and can be conveniently carried around, written on, or passed to other readers. The output phase of data flow consists of three steps:

a) Retrieving, or pulling data from storage for use by the maker;

b) Converting data into a form that humans can understand and use (words or pictures displayed on a computer screen or printed on paper);

c) Communicating, that is. providing information to the proper users at the proper time and in an appropriate form. Information processing is monitored and evaluated in a step called feedback. Over time, the information provided through processing may lose its effectiveness. Feedback is the process of evaluating the output and making adjustments to the input or to the processing steps to ensure that the processing continues to result in good information.